Celebration for one-year anniversary of Liverpool Plains farmers’ blockade of BHP Billiton
Last week I was fortunate to be on the road for three days in the Liverpool Plains region. This area is now the front line in the showdown between mining and agriculture. Local farmers have taken on the likes of BHP Billiton, China Shenhua and Santos, using blockade tactics and a successful media blitz to publicise their campaign.
Many of the farming families the Greens are working with to stop mining on this prime agricultural land have been here for seven generations. But their passion to save this land is not just about family ties. They are rightly proud of what this land produces and feel a deep responsibility to protect the fertile soil that with the regular supplies of underground water delivers 40 per cent more crop per hectare than the national average.
When I first visited this region local farmer George Clift took me out into the centre of his property to get a feel for the land. It is a wonderful part of Australia – the richness of the black soil and the expansive flat plain surrounded by ridges that serve as recharge water sources for the aquifers that feed the plains are very impressive. All this would be lost if BHP Billiton and China Shenua proceed with their coal mining plans. George’s property falls within the land that these companies want to mine.
The story of George’s battle to save his family property and the work of the Duddy family along with all members of the Caroona Coal Action Group is well documented in last night’s Four Corners program.
On this trip I was fortunate to be able to join in the celebrations of the first anniversary of the blockade to stop BHP Billiton exploring for coal on the Duddy family’s farm, Rossmar Estate. It was on July 22 last year that local farmers parked their graders and ploughs across the road to stop drilling rigs hired by BHP Billiton conducting exploratory drilling.
At the celebration last Saturday 150 gathered to hear a thanksgiving service from the Anglican Bishop of Armidale, Peter Brain, and other local religious leaders, followed by lunch of local produce and then Tim Duddy, local federal MP Tony Windsor and myself spoke.
Tony has been working closely with Senator Bob Brown to protect this area. In June Bob moved in the Senate for the federal government to use its powers to stop mining exploration in the Liverpool Plains until an independent water study is conducted.
On this visit I also visited Mullaley to discuss plans to mine for coal seam gas. This is in the area to northwest of Caroona and Watermark. More than 200 attended a lively Friday morning meeting keen to be better informed about the threat they are facing and to raise their concerns. It was a great opportunity to speak to the locals about the concerns the Greens share about planned mining operations for this region.
This trip was also an opportunity to catch up with all the local supporters who bussed down to the NSW parliament in June to support the Greens private members bill to protect farming land from mining. We lost by one vote so there was a lot to discuss on what to do for the next stage in our work to safeguard prime farming land.
When we debated the Greens legislation in June both the two Shooters MPs and the Rev Fred Nile said they would support the Bill as long as a Greens MP did not introduce it. This is certainly a pathetic way to determine one’s voting position.
But the key thing is that we have this legislation passed. So now the ball is with the Nationals to have that legislation ready to go on September 1 when parliament resumes.
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